If you’re like most people, then you probably don’t like sharing your home with insects and other pests. Unfortunately, the average American home contains more than 100 different types of bugs.
While it might not be comforting, remember that having some pests is normal. But at what point does it become a pest infestation? What are some signs you should watch out for?
Keep reading to learn about some of the different signs that you have some uninvited pests in the home.
Excess Dirt
One of the reasons why people hate pests so much is that they’re often dirty. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that excess amounts of dirt and grime can therefore be a sign of a pest infestation.
Inspect your walls for signs of grease or smudges of dirt. Rodents and other pests will often rub against them.
Other signs to look out for include food crumbs in random places and unidentifiable hairs lying around.
Droppings
Another common sign of pest infestation is droppings left behind. In most cases, they won’t be easy to find (like the pests themselves), so you may have to do some investigative work.
Search around places in your home where you think pests are likely to be. In many homes, this includes in the basement, the attic, and behind things such as water heaters.
Once you find the droppings, you can go full Sherlock Holmes by taking a magnifying glass to identify who the culprit is. Rodent droppings are often spindly, while insect droppings are small.
Out of Place Objects
One thing that rodents in particular like to do is borrow your belongings. They’ll use them for a period of time, and then when they’re finished, they’ll leave them in a different place than where they picked them up.
Rodents enjoy gnawing the stuffing out of pillows, blankets, and other fuzzy objects. If you find bits of stuffing laying around random places, this can be a sign of a mouse or rat problem.
Most of the time, they use these objects to build their homes (often inside your home), so be on the lookout for those, as well.
Strange Odors
Have you noticed some strange smells that creep around your house before making their way into your stress dreams? If you do, they might be coming from pests.
Rodents and insects often take pieces of food, then discard it. As these tidbits start to rot and mold, they’ll give off a strong odor. These often tend to be in locations where pests congregate.
Another smelly item you might come across is the previously mentioned droppings. You can also find urine, and as if that weren’t enough, the decomposing bodies of the pests themselves.
Gnaw Marks
If your pest infestation is less of an insect issue and more of a mouse or rat problem, you might come across some of the telltale signs of rodents.
Mice and rats will often chew fabrics, cushions, and pieces of clothing. You can see this in the form of scratches, holes, or stains. Aside from being a sign of a rodent problem, this sort of damage can also cost you money.
Aside from finding damage to your fabrics, you might also find gnaw marks and scratch marks in different areas. These can come from their nails, as they scurry around your house, or from their teeth, as they chew their way through your different belongings.
Evidence of Nesting
As mentioned, rodents are notorious for using random objects to build nests. They’ll use anything that they can get their paws on, from fabric and shredded paper, to grass clippings and leaves.
Most of the time, they’ll build their nests in quiet, secluded places. This can be underneath the flooring, inside of walls, or in attics.
If you suspect your home has some rodent communes, take a flashlight and inspect some of these areas. If you find something, make sure to call a professional pest service to help.
Strange Noises
Are strange noises keeping you up at night? Are you having flashbacks to the movie Signs? Don’t worry, it’s probably not a ghost or an alien. Pests might be responsible for those weird nighttime noises.
If you’re hearing late-night scuttles, scratches, and squeaks, there’s a good chance that you’re sharing your space with something that doesn’t belong there. These noises can be coming from inside the walls, in the attic, or on the roof.
If you have pests that are running rampant around the perimeter of your house, you might also hear noises coming from outside your window, as well.
Body Parts
If you have an insect infestation, you might also stumble upon some different body parts. If that sounds disturbing, it’s because it is.
Wings, limbs, and skin are some of the many body parts that insects might leave behind. You can often find these on window sills, in drawers, and in other places where insects are congregating.
If you do find any insect body parts, don’t sweep them up and forget about them. It’s important that you reach out to a professional, such as https://www.altuspest.com/. They’ll be able to come, inspect the situation, and determine whether or not you have a serious problem.
Identify Pests in the Home With These Tips
If you’re not a fan of living with creatures that don’t pay rent, look out for these telltale signs of pests in the home. If you think that your home may be infested, make sure to hire a professional who can come and get rid of them.
Do you now have a better idea of what the signs of pest infestation are? If you do, take a moment to check out some of our other blog posts for more guides and tips.
